Anew
by Amelia Bright
Summary: Ten years ago, Benjamin Slade left Hoenn to become a Pokémon trainer. Now twenty, he returns home only to be caught in the middle of the chaos when Team Aqua and Team Magma attack. But Ben's no hero, and taking down two massive criminal organizations is not a one man job. An AU version of Emerald if the player character didn't exist.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hello, people of the Pokémon fandom here on fanfiction. This is an idea I've been toying around with lately, and I want to try it out. I know there are a lot of fanfics in this section you could have chosen to read, and I appreciate that you chose mine. I think it's going to be a fun story, but I can't be sure without your feedback. Again, thank you for taking the time to read it. Even if you don't (or can't) review, you rock. **

* * *

Fingers drum against the Pokémon Center counter as I wait for my healing Pokémon. Manectric, who hadn't been in the recent battle, is pacing around me, fur crackling with impatience-fueled electricity.

"Sir," a female voice says kindly, "You can sit down; it's going to be a while before your Pokémon are ready."

The nurse smiles at me. I try to smile back, but I can tell without looking that it's pathetic.

"What seems to be holding it up?" I ask, glancing at the clock on the wall and hoping she doesn't notice. I want to be in Lavender Town by noon.

"Well, as you know, Dewgong has a cut in its side. It's not too deep, but getting stitches into blubber is a delicate process and takes time. I'm sorry to keep you waiting."

"Dewgong's a she," I say, my voice taking on a harsh edge. The nurse only smiles, choosing to ignore my bad mood. More power to her.

"Of course. Go ahead, have a seat," she gestures to the waiting room couches. I nod gratefully to make up for my previous rudeness. Manectric turns sharply and walks with me to a seat. Settling on his haunches, his red eyes stare straight up at me.

I sigh. "Alright. Get up 'ere." I pat the couch beside me, and he jumps up without hesitation. I turn and fumble through my backpack for a pair of rubber gloves. I slip them on, face Manectric again, and ruffle the short blue fur of his chest. Sparks go flying around my protected hands. Manectric lowers his head, and I begin to stroke his back. Sparks get shaken out of his fur like dandruff, and I smile.

"Good boy," I whisper, words he hasn't heard in two weeks. Not since Rocko died.

"Wow, is that a Manectric?"

I turn to the source of the question. It is a girl, probably about fourteen, wearing jeans and a red sweater, and with her brown hair in braids on both sides of her freckled face.

"Yeah, that's right," I say, looking down at him fondly and patting his shoulders.

"The Discharge Pokémon," she replies, quoting the Pokédex, "They're from Hoenn, right?"

"Uh huh. So am I. He was my first."

"Oh, cool, you're from Hoenn?" The girl plops down in the chair across from me. "Do you have any badges from there?"

My brow furrows in confusion. "No, you must be mistaken. There's no Pokémon League in Hoenn."

She raises an eyebrow. I hate when people do that.

"Yes, there is," she insists, "It was founded five years ago. Geez, man, how long have you been out?"

Suddenly self-conscious, I mutter, "Ten years." Five years ago I was halfway through the Johto region.

"Well," she continues, "I'm sorry you had to hear it from me. But hey, it'd be fun for you to go back there. See how much the place has changed; get some training in; even go for the badges if ya want. A new adventure in your old stomping grounds."

"Amanda Ross, you may retrieve your Pokémon now. Amanda Ross, owner of the Ivysaur, Kadabra, and Spearow, you may retrieve your Pokémon now," the nurse announces over the intercom.

The girl rises to her feet. "That's me. Nice talking to you, dude. Hey, mind if I ask you your name?"

Strangely, I don't. "It's Ben."

* * *

I get to Lavender half an hour past schedule. It could have been avoided if I had just let Pidgeot fly me there, but the Rock Tunnel is one of my favorite places in Kanto.

I knock on the door of the purple house, smiling knowingly. Mr. Fuji, the owner of the Visitor Center/Sanctuary for Abandoned Pokémon answers the door and grins widely when he sees me.

"Ah, young Benjamin! So good to see you. How long has it been? You look so much bigger!"

"It's been a couple of years, sir."

"I say! How old are you now, twenty? Ah, I remember when I first met you." He says that every time I visit. "Spunky eleven year old kid- so excited to see the world. How have you been?"

"I've had better days," I admit.

He nods solemnly. His eyes are sympathetic. "Do you care to tell me what happened?" he asks.

I look at the floor, fighting back the tears welling up. "It's just-" I stammer, "I- I lost Rocko."

"That's why you're back in Lavender Town, I'm assuming," Mr. Fuji says after a pause. I nod. "Well, I hate to break it to you, but… Pokémon Tower is gone, Ben. It's been replaced with a radio tower."

Surely not! Pokémon Tower held the gravesites to hundreds of Pokémon. There's no reason it should have been replaced. And by a radio tower of all things, like that eyesore in Goldenrod!

"I'm sorry."

"What can I do then?" I ask, hoping wise old Mr. Fuji has an answer, "He needs to be buried. I can't carry his Pokéball with me forever."

"You're not going to want to hear this, but you can put it in your PC. Until you find another way, at least."

But I have an idea. A terrible, wonderful idea that I'm probably going to regret. Mount Pyre, back in Hoenn. It's a Pokémon gravesite, twice as big as the Tower was. It's a long trip, but Rocko's ball can stay in the PC for a while.

Things are falling together so quickly that I can't catch up, but it looks like I'm going back to Hoenn.

* * *

It was a quick flight from Lavender to Vermillion. There's a boat leaving for Slateport City in the morning. I have my ticket, and I'm staying at the small new hotel for the night. I sit in the empty lobby and watch the Sinnoh Championship Battle from last year. Cynthia won again. There's something I have to do, but I don't want to. I pull my phone from my pocket and take a deep breath before I dial the number. It rings, then goes to voicemail.

"Hello," I say to the crackling silence, "Brian, it's me. It's Ben. I'm going to be in Slateport tomorrow. Can you… can you meet me there?"


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Here's chapter two. Thank you to XStrawberryDuckFeathersX and Wolverinejoe for reviewing, and to those two as well as Graffiti Rain for following the story. I'm hoping to update every weekend, but we'll see how that goes. **

Magmar is staring at me sullenly, his tail flickering with low-level fire. He's been in quite a mood since Rocko died, and I can hardly blame him. He and the Machoke were inseparable. Though I caught Magmar much later than Rocko, at the Burned Tower in Ecruteak City, they rapidly became the best of friends. I'm not sure why they were so close, but it isn't something I have to understand. Who really knows what shapes our friendships, anyway? Sometimes it just works, and no one can argue that it's not a beautiful thing.

Of course, everybody loved Rocko. He was a stellar Pokémon, strong but smart, friendly and loyal even though he was occasionally aggressive. Magmar, with all his ferocity and temper, was a loner at first, but Rocko was more than willing to break into his solidarity and make the fire-type open up. And to his credit, Magmar was quite receptive to it. The two had a great bond, one that wouldn't be broken until half of it was lost to us forever.

A ridiculously strong wind sends my thoughts into disarray, and nearly knocks me out of my chair. It temporarily puts out the flame on Magmar's tail, which only spurs his anger, and he makes it blaze stronger than before. I reach down to pet him, but he yanks his head away and growls. I love all my Pokémon to bits, but Magmar can honestly be defiant as hell. I give up and suck him back into his Ultra Ball. Sighing, I turn around to watch the sea. The boat glides over the waves with ease, and I know how much Dewgong would love to swim out there.

Out in the distance, I can see Slateport. I wonder how much it has changed. My family and I lived nearby in Mauville City, and we often went to Slateport for weekend getaways. I know the city like the back of my hand, thought it's been ten years since I last saw it. A voice over the intercom announces that we'll be at Slateport Harbor in ten minutes. I lay back and stare at the blue sky, contemplating quietly until we arrive.

When we dock, a nervous sort of excitement overtakes me. Back to Hoenn. I grab Manectric's Poké Ball and send him out. I can always breathe easier when Manectric is around. He barks happily at me. I follow the other passengers off of the boat and into the harbor. This is probably where Brian will meet me. If he wants to see me again at all, that is. Ten years is a long time…

"Ben? Ben, is that you? Yeah, yeah it is. Ben! Over here!"

I look up, and sure enough it's Brian. He's waving his arm and running toward me. I put my hand up in the 'stop' motion and make my way in his direction. Manectric follows close behind.

I get to Brian. Hasn't changed a bit, only he's taller now. The last time I spoke to him, by way of Pokémon Center video phone, was five years ago. We were fifteen. He's got the same spiky light brown hair and the same silver, rectangle-framed glasses over the same sky-blue eyes. His expression is stony, and as soon as I'm close enough he punches me right in the face. Stunned, I stagger back. Manectric immediately lunges forward, teeth bared and growling with his red eyes lowered menacingly at Brian. I regain control as quickly as I can and call him back.

"Manectric, calm down. Calm down, boy. Brian is a friend. You remember Brian, right?"

He sighs and settles on his haunches, but continues to glare at Brian. It's not hard to believe he'd use Thunder Fang on the kid as soon as I turn my back.

"Brian! What the heck was that for?" I demand.

"Five years. Five years without a call, without a message, without a letter, nothing. _Nothing_," he emphasizes, "We were best friends, Ben. And now you call me on the phone and say you'll be coming back like it's the most natural thing in the world. The Ben Slade I see right now is not the same Ben Slade I knew ten years ago. The Ben Slade I see right now is not my best friend."

"Brian, look, I'm sorry. But I am the same. I promise you that. I really am. I had things come up, things to do. I got busy, things got chaotic. I should have called more, I know. I'm here _now _though, and I'm going to make it up to you. To everyone. It may take some time, but I'll make it up. And even if I'm not your best friend, you're still mine. You've always been my best friend, Brian."

He looks at me. I can read it all in his face. He's unconvinced. He wants to forgive me, but he's not ready to, not yet. But he's willing to give me a chance, and that's good enough for me.

"Alright," he says at last, "I'll give you a try, Ben. I'll give you a try."

He smiles the best he can, and I know that things will be getting better. They have to. Ten years is a long time.

* * *

We're sitting at the Harbor Café, my favorite place in Slateport City. The food is great, as is the coffee, which is what Brian is drinking. He takes it black. I'm more of a hot chocolate guy myself. Caffeine puts me on edge. There was a coffee-house in Goldenrod that had the best hot chocolate in the world. They always gave you marshmallows, whether you asked for them or not.

"So, where've you been, Ben?" Brian giggles. "I've always loved to say that."

"I've been all over the place, Brian. Like you have no idea," I say around my toast, "I spent four years taking on Kanto. It's the only region I've got all of the badges from. Johto was shorter, only took two and a half years. Then again, I only got four of the badges. Jasmine and Chuck are tough, man. I skipped right past Bugsy. Ran into him in the Azalea Town square once though. He was a little know-it-all. You're like twelve years old, kid. Four feet tall. You don't know anything."

Brian laughs out loud at that.

"Anyway, I spent a while in Johto. I kind of fell in love with the place. Stayed there longer than I should have. I moved on to Sinnoh after that. I liked Sinnoh. Great region. Even greater people. Kind of old fashioned, but in a cool way. Steeped in tradition and all that. I have six badges from Sinnoh. Only took a year there. Time is weird in Sinnoh. I only spent two months in Unova." I spit on the floor. "Hated that place. Only got one badge. Freaking Castelia. I spent the whole time in freaking Castelia and the area around it. The desert was trying to kill me. Pinwheel Forest is a maze of the worst kind. Don't waste your time in freaking Unova."

He nods. "Noted."

"After that, after the mind-boggling chaos of Castelia City, I got my sorry butt into a boat as fast as my feet could take me. I was done. Headed back to Johto, got myself a comfortable apartment in Goldenrod City, and just took a break. Went back and forth between the regions when the mood suited me. Never went back to freaking Unova. Ugly Pokémon in Unova, did I tell you that? Because holy Mew, those things were crap. Actually, most weren't all that bad. Like every region, Unova had its cute ones and its cool ones, and its ones that were so darn average they all blended together in your mind. But a few really were hot messes. They had a trash bag Pokémon, for crying out loud. And the freaking thing evolved. Into a bigger freaking trash bag! Unova is one screwy place. Don't waste your time in Unova."

Brian grins. It's a I-am-not-freaking-kidding-you Chesire cat grin. "So I've heard."

I sigh sheepishly. "Right. Sorry about that. Got kind of carried away, huh?"

Brian only rolls his eyes.

"So yeah, I rested up for a while. Lived in Goldenrod, got a job at a video rental store in the mall. Paid well enough, I guess. Visited friends I had made in other regions, but mostly just chilled."

"Why did you come back?" Brian asks at last. I knew the question would come, but I had tried not to think about it. Now I had to.

"I was spelunking in Mount Mortar, right outside Ecruteak City, with my Machoke, Rocko. Rocko loved to do physical stuff, and he especially loved to do it with me. I caught him as a Machop in Rock Tunnel, in Kanto," I add as an afterthought, "But, uh, we got really high up, and Rocko was a pretty heavy Pokémon, and he fell. Died the second he hit the ground. Didn't feel a thing."

"Oh, gosh," Brian says, stunned, "Ben, I'm so sorry."

"The Pokémon Tower in Lavender was gone. It's been replaced with a radio tower," the words still hurt to think about, "But then I remembered Mount Pyre. So I came back. I probably would have, eventually, but Rocko's death kind of finalized it."

"Man," Brian says, "Man, just... that's rough. But at least you came back. Maybe you needed to, you know. Maybe you were ready."

I sure hope I'm ready. Ten years is a long time.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Thank you so very much XStrawberryDuckFeathersX (I took your advice, by the way) and Graffiti Rain for your reviews. I'm done with the exposition chapters, and Team Aqua appears in this one as well. So look out, 'cause here comes plot!**

To my half-asleep brain, Brian's fist pounding on the door sounds like thunder. I spent the night in the Pokémon Center because Slateport's hotel doesn't allow Pokémon in the rooms. Brian, with no Pokémon of his own, was more than happy to ditch me for the hotel, and now he feels the need to assault my eardrums. What a good friend, huh.

"Ben! Wake up! Get out here! There's something going on at the Oceanic Museum!"

I rub my eyes wearily and crawl out of the bed. I open the door just as Brian has his hand raised to knock on it again.

"What could possibly be going on at the Oceanic Museum? I thought only scientists and middle-aged tourists went to that place."

"I don't know! I went out this morning for a walk, and a whole bunch of guys with weird gang outfits were lined up outside the museum. There had to be at least twenty of them."

"And this is our problem because…?"

Brian looks at me like I'm insane. "Because," he urges, "You've probably got the strongest Pokémon in town. If they're making trouble, you're the best bet to stop 'em. You could be a hero!"

I scoff, but his glare is insistent. Back in school, Brian's powers of persuasion were legendary, and apparently they haven't worn off.

"Alright," I say at last, "Let's get down there."

He grins. "That's my boy," he says, "But, uh… Ben?"

"Yeah?"

Fighting to hold back laughter, he replies, "You might want to put some pants on first."

I look down at my pineapple-printed boxers. "You may have a point."

* * *

"Where'd they go?" Brian sputters in disbelief. We're right outside the museum, and there's no sign of oddly-dressed hooligans in sight.

"Calm down, man," I say, "They're probably inside. No need to freak; we'll check it out."

We enter through the door, both pay our fifty dollars, and look around.

Brian wasn't joking when he said the guys at the museum are wearing weird gang outfits. They all have matching blue sweatpants and black and white striped shirts. To add to that foolishness they're wearing blue bandanas with a strange symbol on them that are white and look vaguely like the letter 'A', albeit with an oval in the middle and bone-like protrusions on the bottom.

"Okay, I give up. What is wrong with these guys?"

Brian shrugs, "No clue, but they sure are suspicious. I don't trust 'em."

I nod. "Me neither. Here's the plan." I look up. There's a staircase leading to the top floor of the museum. "You stay down here, yell for me if they cause any trouble. I'll see if there's any more of them upstairs."

I make my way toward the back of the room, trying to stay out of the goons' way and not be noticed. I grip the handrail of the stairs and turn around, giving Brian a quick salute, which he returns. I run up the stairs.

The upper level of the museum is nearly identical to the main, with one major difference. There are only two of the oddly-dressed thugs in the room, and they're standing over a scrawny, scientist-type fellow who is on the floor and breathing heavily with several bleeding wounds, as well as a split lip and a black eye. He clutches his broken glasses in one shaking hand. The sight repels and disgusts me, and my stomach churns.

One of the gang members (who can't be much older than me, I note with contempt) speaks. His voice is gruff and smug.

"Listen here, Captain Stern. All this could have been avoided if you had just given up the Devon Goods in the first place. So I'll give you one last chance, _Captain_," the word is uttered with a disdainful sneer, "Hand them over, and we'll be on our way."

The man, apparently named Captain Stern, says, "In your dreams. Without those plans, my Submarine Explorer will never be completed. All my work would be completely wasted. If you want the Devon Goods, you'll have to get them from my cold, dead fingers."

He spits on the ground in defiance to punctuate his statement. I can't help but be impressed. Not a second later, he spots me. He squints, trying to identify my shape without the aid of his glasses. Eventually he cries out.

"Thank goodness, someone's here! Can you help? Oh, please, help!"

The two goons turn around in shock.

"What the-!" one exclaims, "What is this guy doing here? Johnny, take him down. I'll keep an eye on Stern."

Stern attempts to protest, but is cut off with a sharp kick to the ribs in response. I wince and mouth "sorry" to him before turning to face the other goon.

He grins, showing yellow teeth, and releases a Zubat from a Poké Ball. It shrieks wildly. I grab a Poké Ball from my belt, and Manectric materializes next to me.

"Discharge!" I command, not wasting a second. Manectric nods energetically and sends electricity flying in all directions. It lands a solid hit on Zubat. It screeches again and falls to the floor defeated. Its trainer is at a loss for words. He returns the poison bat to its ball and begins to shout.

"I can't believe this. Zack, he beat me!"

The other man rolls his eyes and exhales deeply.

"Johnny, you're useless," he deadpans, "Fine, I'll deal with this fool, _you _keep your eye on the damn captain."

He turns his attention to me. "Think you're some kind of a hero? We'll see about that. Poochyena, get this joker!"

In a flash of light, the named Pokémon is released from its ball. Manectric snarls. The Poochyena snarls right back, obviously proud to show off its pointed teeth. He's an eager little guy, and I almost hate to sic Manectric on him, knowing that my electric alpha dog will make quick work of this pup. But I look at Captain Stern, tending to his wounds and taking nervous glances at the goon standing over him, and I know that the sacrifice will have to be made.

"Manectric, use Thunder Fang."

Manectric opens his jaws, revealing static-charged fangs that make the Poochyena's seem about as threatening as toothpicks in comparison. The gray Pokémon picks up on it too, and cowers away. Manectric's teeth land anyway, and the bite causes the little dark-type to yowl in pain. My Pokémon stalks back to my side, but the Poochyena is still standing.

"Use Bite!" the trainer shouts. Poochyena dashes forward, and his teeth clamp into Manectric's leg. Manectric growls, clearly agitated, and shocks the Poochyena even without my command. Poochyena collapses, and his jaws loosen from Manectric's leg. The goon returns his dark-type in silence, and glowers at me. He's clearly considering making an attack on me, but I'm taller and he thinks better of it. His partner, however, is not as thoughtful. He charges.

"Unbelievable!" he rages, "What are you thinking, defying Team Aqua like that? Zack, I say we give this guy a thrashing he'll never forget!"

He doesn't get the chance, though, because a man in black attire comes up the stairs. The grunts obviously respect him, as they automatically shift into a military formation. The man is in his mid-thirties, wearing a blue bandana similar to the others, and with the top few buttons of his black shirt opened to show his chest as well as a gray chain necklace. His hair is black, and his sideburns and beard meet in an strange but charming combo. His face is like that of a pirate's.

"What in Kyogre's name is taking you two so long?" he asks, in a voice so refined and smooth you can practically hear the beard, "I send you up to steal some parts, and you're held up by… some punk college kid and his Manectric?"

He looks to the corner where Captain Stern is still cowering. "I apologize for the brutality, Captain Stern, but desperate times call for desperate measures, unfortunately. As for you," he continues, turning to address me, "Are you one of Team Magma? No, of course not, you don't have the right Pokémon; you're not even dressed the part. Oh, I'm sorry, how rude of me to skip introductions. I am Archie, leader of Team Aqua. Now, what makes you feel the need to interfere with our affairs? We of Team Aqua love the sea. Don't you understand? All life depends on the sea -Pokémon, people, all of it- and so we are dedicated to the expansion of the sea. Can't you see that it is a magnificent undertaking? Well… I suppose this is a lot to take in. It will take some time for you to understand our noble objective. If you interfere with our plans again, there will be consequences."

He and his underlings head for the door. "Goodbye, Captain Stern. You can keep the Devon Goods; we have other ways of getting what we need. Farewell."

They disappear down the steps, and I immediately dash for Captain Stern.

"Captain, don't worry. It'll be okay. Is there a phone somewhere? I'll call 911."

"Yeah," he says, "It's right over there." He points to the wall. He looks in bad shape, and I can't help but feel terrible for him. I walk over to the phone on the wall and call the number. I quickly tell them about the situation, and they tell me they're on their way. I take this waiting period to help Captain Stern feel more comfortable.

"My name's Ben, by the way. Well, Benjamin, actually. Whichever you prefer. And you're… you're a captain then, huh? Sounds neat. What do you do?"

He smiles, grateful for some distraction from the pain. "Well, I build ships. I own Stern's Shipyard, which is right near the port. And that port is where I keep my greatest work, the S. S. Tidal. My magnum opus, if you will. It'll take you to Lilycove quick as anything. It's undergoing some repairs at the moment, but it should be running again within a month or so."

His smile is bright and cheerful, and I can tell how proud he is of his occupation and achievements. I help him clean some of the blood off of his arms while we talk and wait. As the time passes, dark bruises become more prominent on his pale skin. I anxiously hope that an ambulance will arrive soon. When it does, a few police officers and EMTs come up the stairs. They help Captain Stern down the steps, but not before he turns and grins at me.

"Thanks a lot, Ben. I hope to see you again some time!"

The police ask me a bunch of questions when we return to the main level, and I answer them dutifully. Apparently Team Aqua is an extremist group whose goal is to create more habitats for water-type Pokémon by expanding the sea. That strikes me as incredibly odd, since water is the most common type, especially here in Hoenn, but I suppose it's not my problem any longer.

I catch one of the officers by the sleeve on the way out.

"What's up?" he asks.

"I just have a question. Who's Team Magma?"

He gives me a strange look. "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about, son." He follows his colleagues out the door.

Well, then. Another mystery to be solved. Brian rushes to me, and I sigh. I guess I have a story to tell.

**AN: Well, it feels like I need to explain some stuff. Just to clear a few things up that might confuse people.  
**

**1. I know, in the game, that the player character brings the Devon Goods to Captain Stern and meets Team Aqua for the first time in Petalburg Woods. However, I wanted the story to be a bit more realistic than the games are. More realistic, and a slight bit darker. So anyway, in my realistic Pokémon Emerald land, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense for something as important as the Devon Goods to be delivered without more protection than the fat guy in Petalburg Woods had. So, tada! They make it to Captain Stern without incident, and _that's _when Team Aqua moves in for the kill. **

**2. As well, you can see that the Aqua grunts have different Pokémon than when you meet them in the game. That's simply because I'm pretty sure fish Pokémon, such as Carvanha, couldn't battle outside of the water if Pokémon had real-world physics. So in this story, they can't. Sorry!**

**3. And lastly, just in case it bothers anyone, I did indeed take liberties with the dialogue and actions of Archie, the Aqua grunts, and Captain Stern. It's a fanfiction. Sue me!**

**Sorry for the super long Author's Note; I'll try not to make it a habit. **


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Muchas gracias a sushi4427, XStrawberryDuckFeathersX, Graffiti Rain, and japaneserockergirl for reviewing. Keep it up, y'all; reviews help me improve my writing to better suit your pleasure and inflate my already massive ego! Thanks a bunch! ****Updates have been and will continue to be sparse for the next few weeks. I'm working on a big research paper for my chemistry class as well as a project for lit, so I'm kind of swamped. Ah, the life of a high schooler… I'm really sorry. Fair warning, this is not my best chapter, but I just didn't want to keep you waiting. Luckily, it's not terrible, and it does introduce a vital character. So, you know, enjoy. **

"Alright, what the _heck _just happened?" Brian demands before I even get the chance to clear my throat, "I'm just down here, minding my own business, keeping an eye on the goons like you asked, when this pirate dude bursts in the door and makes a Combee-line for the stairs. So, of course, because I'm _such _an awesome friend, I try to help you out, 'cause I just _know _he's causin' trouble for you. But these grunts don't let me up, so I just sit on my hands and wait. Where _were _you, man? What happened up there?"

I lean against the museum pay counter and watch him ramble on with a bemused expression. "You know, I could tell the story if you'd just shut up."

He glares at me for a moment, but his anger quickly sizzles out. More interested in getting his info than picking fights, it seems.

I smile and continue. "A couple of the goons were up there, beating up on Captain Stern. Wanted some submarine plans, or parts, or something like that. That pirate guy was their leader. Name's Archie. Apparently they're part of a gang called Team Aqua, and they want to expand the sea. Some kind of extremist group."

"So you…"

"I helped the Captain out. Did my good deed for the day. The Aqua guys' Pokémon were pretty weak, so it wasn't that much of a challenge. It's weird though. Why would anyone want to expand the sea? Hoenn is an _island_. I think we're good on sea."

Brian shrugs. "Whatever, man. It's not our problem any longer. We've got the whole day ahead of us. What do you want to do next?"

He spreads his arms out, the expanse of Slateport rising behind him. The sky is perfect today, a clear, cloudless blue, and a slight breeze blows the smell of sea salt down the market streets. The weather could not be any more perfect for spending an easy day on the Slateport beach. But my feet are itching to move on and travel to the next town. Mauville City. Home.

I answer Brian and try not to sound too wistful. "Let's go to Mauville."

The route out of Slateport is a busy one, full of trainers and surrounded by green trees. There are two ways to get to Mauville from here. If you have a bike, you can take the Cycling Road. Brian has a bike, but I don't, and he's a good enough friend to want to stay with me.

The alternative is Route 110, underneath the Cycling Road. It's a nice grassy path, but trainers dot the route, and wild Pokémon of all sorts can be found. Zigzagoon, Poochyena, Gulpin, Wingull, Oddish, Plusle and Minun, a nice variety of types. Also found here is the younger version of my pride and joy. Electrike live on Route 110. My parents caught Manectric here, when I was eight and decided I wanted to have a pet. Mom and Dad went out and caught an Electrike for me. He was supposedly the family pet, but everyone knew he was really mine. Two years after he was caught, I left for my journey with Electrike in tow. There was no set age to get a Pokémon license at the time, but Dad is originally from Kanto, and he remembered that there, the age was ten. So that's when I left.

We begin the walk up the route, and no sooner than I have stepped into the grass than a kid runs up and asks for a battle. He jumps up and down excitedly with Poké Ball in hand.

"Hey!" he shouts, "Can we battle? _Please?_ I just got my first Pokémon yesterday, and I want to test her out. Meet Ruby!"

He tosses the ball in the air and sends out a Taillow. The little navy bird flaps her wings and lands on the boy's head, claws gripping through his yellow baseball cap. I sigh and glance to Brian, who shrugs his shoulders innocently with a smirk on his face. I roll my eyes and look back to the boy.

"Look, kid-"

"My name is Michael."

"Okay, Michael. Listen, my Pokémon are pretty strong. I've had them for years. I'm afraid a Taillow you caught yesterday won't be much of a fight."

Michael pouts. "C'mon. It'd be my first battle." The Taillow twitters, preening the wine-red feathers on her chest. She clearly couldn't care less.

"Find someone with less experience, then. I'm sorry, but it would be a very one-sided battle. That wouldn't be fair to Ruby for her first battle, now would it? Battle some of the wild Pokémon around here first, then you can challenge stronger trainers, alright?"

He looks up at me and grins again. The kid jumps back fast. That's good. I wouldn't want to hurt his feelings, not really.

"Can I see one of your tough Pokémon? That would be awesome!"

I smile. It would be my pleasure. "Yeah, sure, Michael. I can show you one."

I send out Pidgeot, who spreads out his wings and caws triumphantly. I laugh out loud. Vainest Pokémon I've ever met, no doubt about it. He has every right to be, though. He's a majestic creature, with sleek tan feathers and elegant tapered wings. His red and yellow crest ruffles in the breeze, and he stares to the horizon in a way that can only be described as heroic. Michael's jaw drops in awe.

"Whoa! A Pidgeot! Coolest bird Pokémon ever!" he exclaims.

I smile proudly at that. Most people when asked say that the Sinnoh-native Staraptor is the coolest, Pidgeot's gritty anti-hero alternative. I have to disagree.

"Thank you. Bye, Michael." He darts past us and towards Slateport, Ruby flying at a steady pace behind him.

I whistle to Pidgeot and he dives skyward. We've worked out a system of calls to use, and he knows what every command means. He was my first-caught Pokémon, so we've had plenty of time to perfect it.

"The next city!" I call, and he jets forward. Pidgeot is incredibly fast; many people think he's using the move Extremespeed at first glance. I love to see the looks on their faces when I correct them. Brian is staring at the sky in disbelief.

"How will he know where to find us?" he asks once he regains his composure.

"I told him the next city. Pidgeot is a smart bird, you don't have to worry about him. He'll find me. I wouldn't have let him go ahead if I didn't trust him a hundred percent."

We arrive at Mauville in the middle of the afternoon, when the city is at its most active. We Mauville-ites are a lively bunch. Brian and I walk down the familiar four-way street. People zoom past us on bikes and on foot. The shouts and bustle let me know that I truly am home.

"Alright, we're here. Where's your boy?" Brian asks, "You said he'd find us."

I simply walk ahead, and Brian has no choice but to follow, grumbling close behind. We arrive at the Pokémon Center, and his mouth gapes at what we see. Pidgeot is sitting very calmly and patiently on the red roof, his beak turned in what I recognize as his bird version of a smile.

"This is crazy," Brian mutters. I laugh.

"Yeah, it kind of is. Pidgeot is amazing. Try not to be jealous."

He begins to give a snarky reply, but the voice that I hear is clearly not his.

"Benjamin Alexander Slade! What is your deal?"

I turn to see a short girl storming at me. She's wearing black jeans and a white tank top. She has long, curly red hair that she started growing out at age seven because she didn't want the other kids to call her Carrot-Top anymore. Her name is Sloane, and she does not look happy.

"_My_ deal?" I ask. She could be talking to Brian, after all.

"_Yes_, you moron. _Your _deal. And if you don't remember me, I swear, I will-"

I lift my hands up in surrender, trying to calm her down. "Yes, I remember you. I would never forget you, Sloane."

The response appeases her, but only slightly. "Then why did you ignore me for seven years?" she demands, her amber eyes staring down my soul.

"I…" my voice cracks, "I honestly don't know."

She shakes her head in disappointment and turns to Brian. "I was wondering why you were headed to Slateport, Pinkerton. Now I know why you didn't tell me."

"I'm sorry," he replies, "I didn't want you to get upset."

"Honestly, Brian, don't be. Very strategic of you. As for you, Ben, you've got a _lot _of explaining to do. Hope you brought flash cards."

"I really am sorry, Sloane, I…"

She glares at me, but her harsh expression softens by a fraction. "I know. I really do believe you, Ben, and secretly, I'm glad you're back. It'll be a while before I act like it though."

I smile a bit. Sloane hasn't changed much. She flashes a smile back at me. Her hand rests on her belt, and for the first time I realize that she has six Poké Balls hanging there.

"Now, Benjamin, are you ready for a battle? Six on six."

**AN: Anyone who can tell me correctly where I got Brian's last name from I will love forever. **


End file.
